sputnik

[ spoo t-nik, spuht-; Russian spoot-nyik ]

/ ˈspʊt nɪk, ˈspʌt-; Russian ˈsput nyɪk /

(sometimes initial capital letter) any of a series of Soviet earth-orbiting satellites: Sputnik I was the world's first space satellite.

Origin of sputnik

1957; < Russian spútnik satellite, traveling companion, equivalent to s- together, with + put’ way, route + -nik agent suffix (cf. -nik)

Tortoise disqualified for technical reasons, first place awarded to Sputnik hare.

Why Does the USA Depend on Russian Rockets to Get Us Into Space? |P. J. O’Rourke |June 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
That is the red thread of continuity, which runs from Decline 1.0 with Sputnik to Decline 5.0 with the post-crash.

Sunday Q&A: Josef Joffe on the Myth of American Decline |Michael Moynihan |November 17, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
The Soviet Union has launched Sputnik and communism is taking hold across eastern Europe.

This Week’s Hot Reads: July 8, 2013 |Mythili Rao |July 8, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
That Redstone rocket was meant to boost American morale after the Soviets launched Sputnik.

Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years, 100 Facts |Sarah Begley |February 1, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

Sputnik had two, connected consequences for the United States, both of them essential for the world we now live in.

Obama's State of the Union Challenge |Jonathan Alter |January 5, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
But that was after Sputnik, and we didn't dare disregard any hints from the other side of the Iron Curtain.

The Time Traders |Andre Norton

Sputnik

/ (ˈspʊtnɪk, ˈspʌt-) /

any of a series of unmanned Soviet satellites, Sputnik 1 (launched in 1957) being the first man-made satellite to orbit the earth

C20: from Russian, literally: fellow traveller, from s- with + put path + -nik suffix indicating agent